Comments on: N. Korea Food Situation Continues to Worsen: Protests Continue in Chongjin; Food Prices Skyrocket; Kim Jong Il Asks China for ‘Massive’ Food Aid

By: OneFreeKorea » Good Friends: Rations Suspended in Pyongyang; Population Survives on Savings, Markets

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:15:01 +0000

[...] Good Friends reports thatÂ the traders who feed the northeastern city of ChongjinÂ are now wandering from town to townÂ to find food.Â Many are going to Sinuiju and finding nothing; the place is in the middle of a major crackdown on markets.Â Although GoodÂ Friends does not say so explicitly,Â protests in Chongjin appear to have ended, possibly with the dissentingÂ female traders sent to labor in factories. [...]

By: Janus

Janus — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:51:18 +0000

When I heard ‘angry women protesting,’ one of my few remaining neurons went off and sparked a memory from European history class…

Anyone else remember the French Revolution’s “March of the Fishwives?”….

By: Weekly Blog Roundup « Your Daily Shot of Soju

Weekly Blog Roundup « Your Daily Shot of Soju — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:02:36 +0000

[...] – Earlier this week I wrote that we should all just ignore North Korea, I stand by my statement. The sad part is though, with massive famine approaching, it won’t be the wealthy who are starving. Rather it will be the poor and downtrodden. Which raises the question of “when is it the duty of the people living with starvation and unfair living conditions to rise up against the leaders and dictators who have oppressed them?” Or, perhaps more importantly, when is it the duty for the rest of the world to stand up and not let this go on any further? On one hand I feel really bad, but on the other how much longer can the world really afford to cater to a madman? What kind of precedent is this? Let’s either kill the bastard or ignore him…but lets do something. Something about shitting or getting off of a pot comes to mind. [...]

By: Will Lee Myung-Bak Pass His First Pragmatism Test? at No Man’s Blog

Will Lee Myung-Bak Pass His First Pragmatism Test? at No Man’s Blog — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:28:06 +0000

[...] Right.Â So how far will Lee be willing to go when demanding reciprocity from the Kim Chong-Il regime?Â Interestingly, the new president is at this very moment facing his very first test.Â Hereâ€™s an interesting piece from Agence France-Presse (via One Free Korea): SEOUL, April 4, 2008 (AFP) – North Korea has asked China to provide massive food aid for its hungry people amid a flare-up in tensions with former major donor South Korea, a news report said Friday. [...]

By: Joshua

Joshua — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 14:09:58 +0000

I wouldn't waste much energy arguing with anyone so morally retarded as to characterize the candidate he didn't vote for as a "mad dog," but who would neglect to characterize the man who runs this place.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:58:19 +0000

Why doesnâ€™t the mad dog Bush sit down with Kim and make peace?

You know, you are right Mike. I never thought of that solution before, and it will make everything better. Sign a few papers, shake hands and give Kim Jong Il a bouquet of lowers with a nice big card saying “I am sorry”.

Perhaps you need to call Bush and ask why he is not conducting bilateral talks for an end to the Korean War. Japan, ROK, Russia and China will immediately agree to the plan, and cheers will ensue all over the land.

By: mike

mike — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:22:29 +0000

Why doesn’t the mad dog Bush sit down with Kim and make peace?

By: usinkorea

usinkorea — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:15:21 +0000

It sounds like it is getting to be a good time for the Japanese and other covert aid groups in Manchuria to coordinate with willing North Koreans to get in-and-out with some hidden video footage — a lot of it.

With things taking a turn for the worse (or the bad at least), and the Beijing Olympics coming, world attention could be gained for a significant impact – perhaps at the right (final) time…

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:28:20 +0000

I would think China would fulfill the aid request which could decrease tensions with the North Korean public along the periphery of the country that now appears to be growing. This may prevent the need for a violent crackdown by the regime on the people in the periphery.

However the current situation is just another sign of the increased dissatisfaction with the regime in North Korea; that does not bode well for Kim Jong-il.

By the way thanks for the continuing excellent posts on the building food crisis in North Korea.

By: North Korea Requests “Massive” Food Aid from China

North Korea Requests “Massive” Food Aid from China — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:22:30 +0000

[...] Make sure to read One Free Korea’s latest posting which explains how the worsening food situation is causing rising dissatisfaction with the regime and North Koreans are even beginning to speak out without fear of the government repressing them.Â This is a significant because it is a sign that the regime is loosing control along the periphery of the country.Â Will it lead to collapse, probably not because I expect China to give them the rice aid, however it is just another sign of the slow decay of the regime that will collapse one day.Â The big question is whether South Korea and America will be ready to react when it does. [...]